Table 1 Meta-analysis of studies reporting proportion of maternal colonization with GBS in African by Sub-regions, specimen collection site, method of GBS screening used and countries since 1989 to 31th January 2019
Sub-regions | No. of countries | No. of studies | No. of women | No. of GBS isolates | Estimated proportion (95% CI) | I2(%)a | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Africa | 5 | 17 | 5874 | 927 | 15.397 (12.119, 18.674) | 92.3 | 0.000 |
Central Africa | 2 | 2 | 1058 | 211 | 19.943 (17.540, 22.346) | 0.0 | 0.000 |
Western Africa | 6 | 20 | 5426 | 1183 | 18.704 (13.914, 23.494) | 95.9 | 0.000 |
Southern Africa | 5 | 14 | 8849 | 2019 | 23.773 (18.681, 28.865) | 97.2 | 0.000 |
Northern Africa | 3 | 4 | 1099 | 224 | 22.671 (18.162, 27.179) | 65.5 | 0.000 |
Total | 21 | 57 | 22,206 | 4564 | 19.328 (16.972, 21.684) | 95.6 | 0.000 |
Specimen collection site | |||||||
 Rectovaginal | – | 41 | 16,136 | 3393 | 20.345 (17.459, 23.231) | 95.9 | 0.000 |
 Vaginal | – | 16 | 6070 | 1171 | 16.674 (12.415, 20.932) | 94.8 | 0.000 |
 Total |  | 57 | 22,206 | 4564 | 19.328 (16.972, 21.684) | 95.6 | 0.000 |
Screening methods | |||||||
 Direct plating | – | 20 | 6114 | 924 | 14.698 (11.411, 17.984) | 94.5 | 0.000 |
 Prior broth enrichment | – | 35 | 15,733 | 3544 | 21.827 (18.868 24.786) | 95.0% | 0.000 |
 Rapid test | – | 2 | 395 | 97 | 23.191 (10.741, 35.642) | 79.5% | 0.000 |
 Total | – | 57 | 22,206 | 4564 | 19.328 (16.972, 21.684) | 95.6 | 0.000 |
Countries | |||||||
 Ethiopia | – | 11 | 4428 | 667 | 14.702 (11.783, 17.621) | 85.0 | 0.000 |
 Sudan | – | 1 | 50 | 8 | 16.000 (5.838, 26.162) | – | 0.002 |
 Kenya | – | 2 | 492 | 66 | 11.656 (− 5.539, 28.852) | 97.7 | 0.184 |
 Tanzania | – | 2 | 595 | 97 | 16.135 (2.899, 29.372) | 95.2 | 0.017 |
 Uganda | – | 1 | 309 | 89 | 28.803 (23.746, 33.859) | – | 0.000 |
 Gabon | – | 1 | 549 | 109 | 19.854 (16.522, 23.186) | – | 0.000 |
 DRC | – | 1 | 509 | 102 | 20.039 (16.570, 23.508) | – | 0.000 |
 Ghana | – | 3 | 1019 | 223 | 21.660 (15.857, 27.462) | 77.1 | 0.000 |
 Gambia | – | 3 | 1247 | 397 | 29.810 (23.920, 35.701) | 77.1 | 0.000 |
 Nigeria | – | 10 | 2078 | 433 | 18.238 (12.363, 24.112) | 92.4 | 0.000 |
 Togo | – | 1 | 200 | 5 | 2.500 (0.344, 4.656) | – | 0.023 |
 Cameron | – | 2 | 242 | 30 | 12.276 (8.145,16.407) | 56.3 | 0.001 |
 Benin | – | 1 | 640 | 100 | 15.625 (12.803, 18.447) | – | 0.000 |
 South Africa | – | 6 | 4158 | 1067 | 30.389 (22.250, 38.527) | 96.1 | 0.000 |
 Mozambique | – | 2 | 433 | 70 | 11.415 (− 7.674, 30.504) | 98.2 | 0.241 |
 Zimbabwe | – | 3 | 1444 | 359 | 25.851 (17.581, 34.121) | 92.4 | 0.000 |
 Namibia | – | 1 | 860 | 117 | 13.605 (11.313, 15.896) | – | 0.000 |
 Egypt | – | 2 | 350 | 91 | 25.992 (21.398, 30.585) | 0.0 | 0.000 |
 Morocco | – | 1 | 349 | 82 | 23.496 (19.047, 27.945) | – | 0.000 |
 Tunisia | – | 1 | 300 | 51 | 17.000 (12.747, 21.253) | – | 0.000 |
 Malawi | – | 2 | 1954 | 406 | 20.225 (16.889, 23.561) | 25.6 | 0.000 |
Total | – | 57 | 22,206 | 4564 | 19.328 (16.972, 21.684) | 95.6 | 0.000 |